Morocco dominated the Central African Republic with a 5-0 victory, while Guinea trounced Ethiopia 4-1 in the final 2025 Africa Cup of Nations third-round qualifiers on Saturday.
Azzedine Ounahi scored twice, and Abde Ezzalzouli, Achraf Hakimi, and Soufiane Rahimi added one goal each. The 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco led 4-0 by half-time, easing to a comfortable win in Oujda. Morocco, ranked as the top African team, is 114 places ahead of the Central African Republic, the biggest ranking gap in the third round.
Morocco’s win matched the largest margin in 2025 qualifying, following South Africa’s five-goal victory against Congo Brazzaville in Gqeberha the previous day. As hosts, Morocco automatically qualifies for the tournament, scheduled to start on December 21, 2025, and end on January 18, 2026. They chose competitive match practice over friendlies, leaving Gabon, Central African Republic, and Lesotho to compete for the remaining spot.
In Group H, Serhou Guirassy’s pace and power overwhelmed Ethiopia, leading Guinea to a 4-1 triumph. French coach Michel Dussuyer, 65, began his fourth spell managing Guinea with the win. Guirassy, born in France to Guinean parents, scored a hat-trick, beginning with an 18th-minute penalty. He added two more goals before halftime, becoming the top scorer in 2025 qualifying.
Seydouba Cisse assisted Guirassy’s second goal and then scored early in the second half, receiving an assist from Mady Camara. After struggling in their previous matches, Guinea managed four goals in 48 minutes, while Ethiopia scored their first goal of the campaign through Kenean Markneh in the 53rd minute.
DR Congo leads the Group H table with nine points, alongside teams like Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Ivory Coast, and Morocco, who all maintain perfect records. Tanzania sits with four points, and Guinea with three. Their November matchup will likely determine who joins DR Congo in qualifying for the tournament.
Matchday 4 starts Sunday with a match between Burundi and Burkina Faso, followed by eight matches on Monday and fifteen on Tuesday.
